we haven't cut the defense budget much in the last 30 years. they just ordered new uniforms for their chauffeurs for the top brass. you know, this is going to be a lost opportunity if there's too much compromising going on here. i'm going to stick to my position we'd be off going over the cliff, the curb. it's a slope and not a cliff. i take krystal's point as a good point. you have to pick your time. the europeans are done too much with austerity. i think we can afford to do this, and we ought to make the down payment. the cliff doesn't fix the deficit, but it really does make a downpayment and gets defense cuts for the first time. you know damn well the defense won't get cut ifç they make a deal on this. >> in the "new york post" today a conservative columnist wrote the trut is every way you look at it, the gop is trapped. republican politicians will save and give the president most of of what he wants. the only real question is when. the answer is probably at the worst possible time when they've done even more damage to the party's brand.